Ghubaya College of Pharmacy 9485500085 Pharmaceutical Chemistry-I

SALINE CATHARTICS
Cathartics are drugs used to relieve constipation.
Laxatives are used for mild cathartic.
Purgatives are used for strong cathartic.
Causes: causes of constipations may be a disease or abnormality of GIT, obstruction of the intestines and
severe illness in which food intake is too small.
Use of cathartics:
(i) Relieve acute constipation;
(ii) Avoid potentially hazardous rise in blood pressure during defecation in patients with cardiovascular or
cerebral diseases;
(iii) Ease defecation in patients with painful haemorrhoids or other rectal disorders and
(iv) To avoid excessive straining and simultaneous increase in abdominal pressure in patients with hernias.
Classification of cathartics/Laxative:
1. Mild purgatives or laxatives: which promote defecation causing minimum adverse effects. Drugs
included in this group are:
(a) Bulk-producing drugs: which promote evacuation by increasing the stools bulk-volume and water
contents. e.g. Isapgol, agar-agar, methylcellulose.
(b) Stool softners (Emollient): which penetrate lubricates and softens the stool e.g. liquid paraffin (mineral
oil).
2. Strong purgatives cause complete evacuation of the bowel and the bowel become inactive (atonic):
constipation usually follows for which a milder purgative is again needed.
(a) Irritant or stimulant purgatives: e.g. phenolphthalein, aloe, rhubarb extract, castor oil, bisacodyl.
(b) Saline cathartics/purgatives (osmotic laxatives): these are further sub-classified as under:
(i) Sodium containing products e.g. sodium biphasphate, sodium phosphate, potassium sodium tartrate;
(ii) Magnesium containing product e.g magnesium hydroxide (milk of magnesia), magnesium citrate,
(iii) Sulphur as cathartic:
(iv) Non official cathartics e.g. Sodium sulphate, potassium phosphate.
Sodium Potassium Tartrate
Chemical formula: C4H4KNaO6.4H2O Mot wt : 283.23
Synonym: Potassium Sodium Tartrate, Rochelle Salt, Seignette's Salt.
Properties: It occurs as a white colourless crystalline powder, odourless, having a cooling saline taste. It is
stored in air-tight containers and m.p. 74°C. It is freely soluble in water and practically insoluble in alcohol.
Uses: It is a saline purgative; depending upon dose, its action ranges from mild laxative to an active
hydragogue. Its palatable form is Compound Effervescent Powder. The tartrate anion has very poor intestinal
permeability and causes a watery evacuation of bowel after I to 2 hours without producing irritation.

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Ghubaya College of Pharmacy 9485500085 Pharmaceutical Chemistry-I
INHALANTS
Inhalants are the drugs or chemicals which in vapour form are inhaled in the body. These are directly
administered by the nasal or oral respiratory route for local or systemic effect. These are five gases which
are used as inhalants e.g. oxygen, carbondioxide, helium, nitrogen, and nitrous oxide.

NITROUS OXIDE

Formula: N2O Mol. wt.: 44.01

Synonyms: Laughing gas, Nitrogen monoxide
Preparation: It is prepared by thermal decomposition of ammonium nitrate. The gas is purified by washing
with sodium chromate, sodium hydroxide and water and filled in cylinder.
NH4NO3 N2O + 2H2O
Properties: It is a colourless gas with a slight sweetish odour and taste. It dissolves in water and is soluble
in alcohol. At a high temperature (500°) it decomposes.
Storage, labeling and colour marking: It is stored under compression in metal cylinders. The cylinder is
painted blue and labeled with the name of gas (N2O).
Uses:
1. It is used by inhalation for operation of short duration like dental extraction, minor operation of boils.
2. It is also effective in calming excited mental patients.

CARBON DIOXIDE
Formula: CO2 Mol. wt.: 44.01
Preparation: Compounds containing carbon like materials like coal, coke, oil etc. are burned with an access
of oxygen.
C + O2 CO2
Properties: Carbondioxide is a colourless, odourless gas with faintly acidic taste. It is soluble in water.
Carbondioxide does not support combustion.
Uses:
1. It is used as respiratory stimulant when inhaled; it stimulates respiratory and cardiovascular centers.
2. The mixture of 5% in oxygen or upto 10% with air is used in the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning.
3. Carbondioxide has been found useful in treatment of drug addiction.
4. It is used to prepare dry ice which is used in minor surgical operation for destroying tissue.
5. Carbondioxide is widely used in beverage industry for preparation of concentrated soft drinks.
6. Pharmaceutically it is used to displace air in some parenteral preparations.

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